Roses Engraved in Stone
by Hawkflight7
Summary: Was it really his choice? Or had the lock closed in her favor? Sequel to Key of Thorns


**Roses Engraved in Steel**

 **Summary: Was it really his choice? Or had the lock closed in her favor? Sequel to Key of Thorns**

 **This may be confusing for those not familiar with DR: Zero.**

The doors of the elevator slid open, spilling only a thin trickle of light onto the blood splattered linoleum. There were two bodies; so perhaps that was why there was a sea of pink stretched out before him. Izuru ignored the body of the boy that looked like a child, his gaze focusing on the back of the girl that was sitting in the ocean of iron. The ends of her dark red hair were stained pink, shoes and socks soaked through, legs slick with the sickeningly bright liquid, skirt darker at the edges as the blood began to soak into the fabric.

Her shoulders were shuddering, whole body coming up an inch before settling back down with each heave that came from her - he presumed - gaping wide mouth, a wheeze following shortly afterward.

Beyond her he could see the toes of another student, the black hair of Yasuke Matsuda: the main source of the blood she sat in. The right side of his face that Izuru could see was slowly draining of color, the rest of hid body was hidden by hers.

The tapping of boots drew his attention to his right, to see long thick strands of pink blonde running wild in the air, framing a sleek frame. The girl's shirt was buttoned so far down that he could see the bottom edge of her bra against pale freckled skin. From the thickness of the bra it was compensating for the smaller package it carried, forcing the girl's breasts together to create the cleavage of the other. Bright blue eyes flickered to him, lips turned up a second too late, splitting apart to reveal a smile of teeth. "You missed the best part!" she exclaimed. It was cheery, full of energy, but it didn't carry the usual weight with it.

She skipped past him and his gaze followed her into the elevator he had just stepped out of. This girl leaned forward, advertising her chest as she posed with her legs pressed together, balancing on her tip toes, holding a single finger below the eye she used to wink at him, wavering in place when the elevator trembled clearly not accustomed to the boots she wore.

"Enjoy yourselves!"

The statement was lewd, implying too much in just two words; as if she really expected the two of them to roll around on the floor, sliding against each other, skin uncovered and slippery, tongues exchanging the taste of a former lust.

With the elevator's door closed once more Izuru turned back to the scene in front of him; it took until the ding of the elevator above for everything to snap into place.

Oh. This all came from her desire for a taste of the despair she had given others. That's why she drove Yasuke to these lengths: to show him how his plan was a lost cause, reinforcing what he had learned just moments ago; that he had been manipulated from the very moment she entered his life, the very moment he cared for her, the very moment she took his own mother away from him. To the point where he would kill the one person that had become so important to him; consumed by despair to such an extent that it killed him.

 _This._

The gasps of air the girl had been taking in-between sobs were more pronounced: there was a jagged edge to them, the betrayal of intent was growing louder as she cried. Those tiny _upupupu_ getting louder by the second; until her cries completely dissolved into laughter.

He almost flinched when she threw her head back so suddenly, body shaking once more as her laughter filled the auditorium.

Izuru stared at the way she twisted her arms around her body, swaying back and forth as she laughed. One of her hands were still curled around a sharp knife, the symbol of Hope's Peak Academy stood out on the hilt. It was disgusting, the sight in front of him filthy, and yet there was an irony to it. Someone filled with despair killed with a symbol of hope, all in an attempt to kill the one they loved so much; the one they hated with every cell in their being and failing.

The outcome had been expected, but it's impact clearly hadn't been, or _she_ wouldn't have gone still, tilting her head back until his gaze met hers. A sharp exhale filled the air, but he didn't move. He knew he was suppose to be in the office beneath the fountain, curiosity had simply gotten the better of him when he had spotted Mukuro screaming and kicking machinery around, cursing Yasuke over and over, a little drool sliding down her chin.

When she leaned forward it was as if someone had gone and flipped the switch on a camera, her whole body moved in slow motion as his heart beat quickened. _Thump, thump, thump._ It was a noise - a feeling - he wasn't familiar with, and that just made it beat faster as her arm moved across her stomach, palm laying flat in the pool of blood. She was stretching forward, turning around so she was on her knees as she took one 'step' toward him before raising herself up, reaching out with her other hand, letting the knife fall to the floor with a plop before her fingers curled around the tie of his uniform. He could feel a pull around his neck from how hard she yanked on it, but she didn't pull him down, instead pulling herself up.

She was nearly at his height, poised on the tips of her shoes, legs stuck at an obtuse angle, knees floating a foot above the floor, kept steady from her grip on him. Her mouth opened, the tip of her tongue peeking out between bright white teeth. No words came out, but the question was clear in her eyes. Unfiltered, asking for something he couldn't do. Not when none of _him_ remained that is.

His heart beat slowed, her mouth snapped shut and... _Ryoko Otonashi_ shoved him so hard he almost landed in the pool of blood surrounding them. A scream filled the air as she shot up from the ground, feet stamping away to get the blood off but only succeeding in sending droplets flying through the air, most of which landed on her.

"Filth! Dirt! Degenerate! How could you possibly think of taking advantage of a young lady! To break into another set and steal away the scene from the lead actress! You can't just do that you know!" She jerked a finger at him. "If you're going to change the script you can't back out of such a climatic moment! You completely ruined it!"

He said nothing; it's not like he had anything to contribute to this... performance? Honestly, he wasn't even sure what had her so worked up. What was this 'climatic moment' she was talking about? And how had he ruined it?

She was scowling at him now, arms crossed beneath her chest. "You may be the Ultimate Hope, but you're not perfect."

With those words he understood what she had been trying to accomplish moments ago.

 **I might make a sequel to this one as well.**


End file.
